The Dickinson press., 1887-10-22
MEMPHIS WAR PAPER IN ,e2.
Journalistic Experiences of Union Sol
tlicr.-..Thc werEly E.vc;lJou

Oourhalistlc Experiences of Union Sol
dicr>-'Thc Weekly Heycillc.''
Two or three days after rcachin. Memphis
was detailed at headquarters md was di-
rccted To take possession of the first vacant
printing office in order to print such general
orders rs might he received for distribution
tot various commands. The other printer
detailed for this work WAS IL commninnable
fellow, bright and intelligent but crratic and
unreliable, and with no very ,ir"n convic.
tionS, The idea was mutual tia. while Ell
ploycd i'll issuing orders extra time might be
utilized III getting out Il paper, us there was
no publication of any kind in Memphis. I'M
less 1t might he The Daily Avalanche, which,
oi course, was of different views from that of
the northern soldicry then rrowtling the city.
Tie paprr was gotten out uutl,r She name
of The Weekly Rcveille, printed on coarse
paper, and by no means attractive or in.w>y,
but it had the gossip of the regiments, it had
flavor of t'nicni>m which could not he de-
lied, and it Went like hot cakes, 50 rnlrh so
that w;hin three days another edition WAS
Issued under the name of The Semi -W."ilv
Revcille, to he followed on the second ,av
thereafter with what hlossomcd out "a, The
Tri-Werklv Revcille. These several editions
gave attention; to general orders and IT, n"vs
from the north, clipped from ST. Louis papers
OF several days antiquity, which wrl,. rrn lily
retailcd at twenty-five cents each, and the
trl-Weekly was even more Il success financially
than the weekly and semi-weckly editions
In the earlier stages of tho war The Daily
Appeal was apparently the leading organ in
tho southwest, but WHEN tho Union forces
hove i'll sight of Memphis il shook the dust of
the doomed city from its folds and followed
the fortunes of the Confcderatc army in its
search for safety. But it left a finely ap-
pointed office behind. an office complete in
every respect, rs remembered as this late
date. save IL press, and one day there came am
order from the general 4" abandon the little,
dirty, dingy, one horse stand around tile
corner and take possession Of The Appeal
building, with all its contents
Great things We're expected of this rnri.-
Srtlc advance and SO there WAS Immediately
issued probably the only unlucstioncd Re
publican Cnon paper ever before printed in
Memphis, under the stately caption of "rle
DAILY Union Appeal" 1t wnsn "gally" un-
dertaklng, this publishing adaily paper in tho
enemy $ country without money or credit, or
any special stock of brains; but un editor
from 1.-The ASal;mche" was engaged by the
name of Casuran, or something similar. and
"Ihr Appeal was launched
Printers We're plentiful: in fact, they could
be found asleep on the office steps at all hours
of the day and night, and Ceases were con-
Staltly changing hands, fol rs fast as one
was 81 OF 81 ahead he made u break for
"GodS country, rs il was termed, meaning
the north. ln consequence of tins intense
desire To reach the north there was Il great
kick every pay day against accepting Ten
nessce money, and it was II hard pull and fire.
quantity an impossible one to get any other
kind with which To meet their demands. 1t
is recalled us well that the gang at The Ava
lnnchc office, which did the prcsswork for
The Appeal, were also terribly exercised about
that tennessee money, and occasionally they
had cause I" be fearful that none was coming.
How The Daily Union Memphis Appeal
managed to live from day to day is II mys-
terry even ut this late date, but it did in some
way, and many printer blessed it for the
opportunity given of chance to secure hon
est money and IL trip to Coils country. safe
from wars slarms.
The correspondents of the great northern
dalies, then waiting for an advance of the
army, also occasionally volunteered an "iii-
tellertual ctching," and The Appeal wns not
without weight and influence whlrit lasted.
My connection, however, was limited, for in
few weeks there came marching orders foi
the regiment, and without giving IL thought
to the possibility of getting II detail to re
main i'll Mcmphs-tllese were my calow
daNs-l turned over my share to II chaplain
and joined my command. Whatever was
the fntc of The Union Appeal is unknown,
unless it died from pure ianition.-Ind
oils News